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Retire on Less Than You Think: The New York Times Guide
Feeding the uproar over projected crises in Social Security and Medicare has been a figure commonly bandied about in recent times. "You will need about $2 million in retirement savings," commentators nonchalantly point out, over and over again. How many U.S. workers are en route to achieving this? The ensuing panic has meant a proliferation of financial advice titles, many of them promising riches to the reader who plays the game right.

Fred Brock, columnist on "Senior" issues for the New York Times, admits he's no classically trained financial guru. Instead, he's accumulated on-the-job experience and knowledge about a range of topics related to aging, a big one being how to manage money for the long-term. Pragmatically sharing this information, he preaches a gospel that's already sent out some ripples of shock and consternation. Its kernel is this: while a lot of financial houses want you to believe you'll never survive on less, you can. The message may not be for everyone, but Brock avers that it might be easier to cut back on spending and nurture a simple lifestyle than to raise your blood pressure seeking out ways to up income for the sake of it.

Whether trimming spending means relocating to a less expensive region or reconsidering activities, Brock's contention gets real-life support from his statistical research and from plenty of real-life people living successfully and happily on reduced income. An 81-year-old man from Texas, for example, loves cycling and living actively, which he does on $2,000 a month. The problem, it appears, may be one of vision: people used to a certain level of disposable wealth and a faced-paced working lifestyle can't quite imagine a simpler, less consumption-driven mode.

The current atmosphere of retirement worry has many Americans wondering how they will retire, rather than when. While this is a valid concern for a good number – especially those who have neglected their savings, or who lost big in stocks relatively late in their careers – Brock's book makes the reader suspect an element of fear-mongering and commercial pressures have fanned the flames unnecessarily. As such, it's a great book to calm frazzled nerves, presenting cool-headed tips on determining personal finance and investing goals, finding untapped asset streams, dealing with taxes, maximizing health insurance and assessing the possibility of part-time or flexible work during retirement.

Finally, its numerous anecdotes about retirees living vital but unextravagant lives across America is a great picture of a market segment businesses would do well to serve. It's more than likely that as they grow tired of fussing over money and savings, more mature consumers will opt for a simpler life richer in time and relaxation.

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